10/12/2007

¿To be or to do?

"Tiger, one day you will come to a fork in the road,” he said. “And you’re going to have to
make a decision about which direction you want to go.” He raised his hand and pointed. “If you go
that way you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to
turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted
and you will get good assignments.” Then Boyd raised his other hand and pointed another
direction.
“Or you can go that way and you can do something – something for your country and for
your Air Force and for yourself. If you decide you want to do something, you may not get
promoted and you may not get the good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won’t have to compromise yourself. You will be true to your friends and
to yourself. And your work might make a difference.” He paused and stared into the officer’s
eyes and heart. “To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That’s
when you will have to make a decision. To be or to do. Which way will you go?"